The Origins Of The Cold War 1941-58 Flashcards
What was the Grand Alliance?
The alliance between The USSR, USA and Britain
Why was there a ‘Grand Alliance’?
To fight against Hitler and Nazi Germany in WW2
What was the biggest ideological difference Between the East and West?
The West were capitalist
The East were communist
What does capitalism mean?
The belief that everyone should be free to own property and make money
What does communism mean?
A classless society where all property and business belongs to the state
What is a satellite state?
A nation that was once independent but is now under control of another
Why did the Grand Alliance start to fall apart?
Roosevelt was the glue to the alliance but sadly died.
Truman replaced him but he didnt like Stalin
What made the relations between the USA and USSR worse in the early stages of th cold war?
Ideological differences
USA had atomic bombs
What were the countries called that were controlled under soviet rule after the soviet expansion?
The satellites states?
Why was the USA disagree with the soviet expansion between 1947 and 1949?
They feared they would spread communist influence which could grant them more power
What was The USSR’s excuse for the soviet expansion?
They needed a buffer zone in Eastern Europe to protect them from the West
What was The Truman Doctrine 1947?
An american policy made by US President, Truman, that attempted to contain communism in Western Europe
Why was communsim attractive to Europe after World War 2?
Many had no money, no jobs and felt hopeless so being equal was appealling
What was The Marshall Plan in 1947?
An additional plan after Truman to contain communism by providing economic aid to Western Europe
Why was cominform set up in 1947?
To tighten soviet control in Eastern Europe and create a trade mark between them
What was the main reason stalin felt the need to set up comecon in 1949?
A response to the set up of NATO
What was the result of cominform and comecom, and, Truman Doctrine and The Marshall Plan
It further divided Western Europe and Eastern Europe
When was NATO established?
1949
What does NATO stand for?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
What was NATO 1949?
A millitary defensive alliance for collective security
What did all the countries of NATO agree on?
If one country was under attack, all the other countries must assist it and stop supply to the attacker
What extent was Harry Truman going to go to contain the spread of communism?
He was going to provide economic aid and military personnel
Why did Truman fear that communim would likely spread?
After the WW2 many found communism attractice
Why could britain no longer aid other countires with military support?
They were nearly bankruot after the WW2
When did the Truman Doctrine become ‘offical’?
He delivered a speech to the US congress that military personnel and $400 million in aid will be sent to Greece and Turkey
What words did Truman use to describe choosing democracy over communism?
Choosing good over evil
Why did Truman aid Greece and Turkey with military personnel and $400 million?
They were under communist attack but were too poor to fight back
What policy did the USA abandon after the Truman Doctrine?
Policy of Isolationism
Why was the abandonment of Isolationism so important in The Truman Doctrine?
It would start to play an active role in the World and get involved
What did the Truman Doctrine Driectly lead to?
The creation of The Marshall Plan
What did the Truman Doctrine do to the USA’s and USSR’s relationship?
Deteriorated it further
Did the satelite states in Eastern Europe benefit from the Marshall Plan?
No, Stalin would not let them
The ecomomic impact of Marshall Aid in western europe was ENORMOUS.
True or False
True
What impact did The Truman Doctrine and The Marshall Plan have on USA and Western Europe Relations?
Significantly improved relations
Why did The Truman Doctrine and The Marshall Plan have an impact on USA and USSR Relations?
Stalin saw this as a direct attack on communist ideologies
In 1956, Why did the people of Hungary begin to prtoest?
Hungary was suffering because of Soviet rule
Why did Hungary suffer because of soviet rule?
Hungary was under harsh control
Politics created fuel shortages and poor harvests
After Stalin died in 1953, who became the new Soviet Union Leader?
Nikita Krushchev
Why did Kruschev replace Rakosi with Imre Nagy to become prime minister of hungary?
Rakosi thought their should still be personal freedoms in a communist society
What did Imre Nagy announce within days of being prime minister of Hungary?
A set of proposed reforms
Within a few days of being Hungarian Prime Minister, Imre Nagy announced a set of proposed reforms.
What did this include?
Reorganising Hungarian government with non-communist parties
Releasesing political prisoners
Persuading Krushchev to withdraw troops from Hungary
What was the major announcement Imre Nagy made just over a week of being Prime Minister of Hungary?
Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact
What did Krushchev fear would happen if Hungary left the Warsaw Pact?
Other Eastern European countries might follow
What was the result of Imre Nagy’s announcement that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact?
Krushchev ordered a Soviet Invasion of Hungary
What was the result of the Soviet Invasion of Hungary?
1000 tanks rolled into Budapest
Hungary put up a fight but 20,000 were killed
What happened to Imre Nagy after the Soviet Invasion of Hungary?
He was kidnapped and later executed
What did Krushchev say to decribe Imre Nagy’s death?
“This was a lesson to the leaders of all Socialist Countires”
How did the US policy of Containment effect Hungary?
It could not interfere with affairs of an existing communist country because it would result in nuclear war
What are great words to describe how relations worsen between superpowers?
Deteriorated
Soured
Regressed
What were 2 things that were discussed at the Tehran Conference 1943?
The big three planned to invade Nazi occupied France
USSR wouldhelp USA and Birtian to fight Japan after Germany was defeated
What were 2 outcomes that followed due to the Yalta Conference Feb 1945?
Germany would be divided into 4 zones
The United Nations was set up
What were 2 things that were discussed at the Potsdam Conference July 1945?
The Nazi Party was banned and war criminals were punished
Germany reduced in size and divided into four zones
What was the main objective of the Tehran Conference 1943?
To plan an invasion of Nazi Occupied France
What was the main objective of the Yalta Conference 1945?
To decide what would happen to Germany once it was defeated
Germany was divided into 4 zones as a result of the Yalta Conference 1945.
Which countries occupied these zones?
The USSR
Britain
USA
France
What was the main objective of the Potsdam Conference July 1945?
To carry out what was agreed in the Yalta Conference 1945
Why did the USA drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
To force the the Japanese givernment to surrender
To send warning to USSR of the USA strength in nuclear weapons
What were the Western Allies doing in Berlin that made Stalin so upset
They were money from the Marshal Aid programmeto rebuild germany
What was the berlin blockade?
When stalin cut the allies from all land access fo Berlin
How did the USSR match the western action of the Truman Doctrine?
They created Cominform
How did the USSR match the western action of the Marshall Plan?
They introduced Comecon
How did the USSR match the western action of the formation of NATO?
They introduced the Warsaw Pact
Why was Comecon set up?
to increase the economic trade within eastern europe
What was the iron curtain speech 1946 march 5th?
When Winston Churchchil warned us that ‘an iron curtain had fallen on europe’ dividing the West (capitalist) and East (communist).
He critised USSR for taking control of Eastern Eurooe and advised that the UK and USA must reunite to contain communism
How did Stalin react to the the Iron Curtain speech on March 5th 1946?
He got angry and accused churchill of wanting War
Many marking this as the birth of the cold war
What did the Iron Curtain speech symbolise?
The birth of the Cold War
What was the Marshall plan 1947 said to be abandoning?
The economic side of the policy of Isolationism
